ZOE's Latest Advance: 100 New 'Good' and 'Bad' Gut Bacteria

ZOE scientists identified 100 specific gut bacteria species that serve as reliable markers for heart and metabolic health, the company announced. The findings were published today in Nature. Using advanced sequencing and analyzing more than 34,000 stool samples, researchers developed a ranking system that accurately predicts a person's risk of conditions such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease. The study uncovered 50 species linked to good health and 50 linked to poorer health. Many of the bacterial species were previously unknown to science. Prof. Nicola Segata, Ph.D., and Francesco Asnicar, Ph.D., from the University of Trento worked closely on the research. Francesco Asnicar said the latest sequencing technology, MetaPhlAn4, is on average able to see about twice the number of species compared with the previous version. He said the majority of the 50 new good bacteria species were unknown to science. The research built on a 2021 study published in Nature Medicine that identified 15 good and 15 bad gut bacteria using almost 1,100 samples. Re-analysis of previous ZOE studies showed that following ZOE nutrition advice led to a drop in bad species and an increase in good species. The new science is already available in ZOE Gut Health Tests in the UK and will be coming soon to the US.